Ulan Bator, June 3 (IANS) Mongolia’s National Centre for Communicable Diseases (NCCD) on Tuesday confirmed 259 new cases of measles…
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New Delhi, June 3 (IANS) India needs a stringent front-of-pack labelling on ultra-processed foods (UPF) that are pre-packaged food and beverage products high in sugar, salt, and saturated fat, public health experts said on Tuesday.Even as evidence mounts regarding health risks posed by high fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS) or UPF products, a coalition of India’s 29 leading public health and consumer organisations urged the government to mandate front-of-pack warning labels.According to the ICMR-NIN Guidelines, 2024 HFSS foods are defined as foods or diets that exceed recommended thresholds for added fat, sugar, or salt. These foods are typically energy dense, low in micronutrients and fibre, and are associated with increased risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.“India cannot afford to wait while NCDs escalate, and children become marketing targets. Warning labels are simple, effective, and evidence based” said Professor K. Srinath Reddy, from the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI).The Supreme Court has also recently expressed concern over misleading and insufficient food labelling practices.Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his recent ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address, emphasised the critical need to raise awareness among children about their sugar consumption, how much they are eating and what they should ideally consume.Earlier this year, he also emphasised on reducing fat consumption to tackle obesity crisis in India. He suggested that such awareness would guide them toward healthier choices.“Without mandatory warning labels, the public remains in the dark. Industry interests must not override children’s right to health,” said Dr Arun Gupta, Convener of NAPi, a national think tank on nutrition policy.“Globally, self-regulation has been ineffective. Stringent front-of-pack labelling rules are needed and must be enforced,” he added quoting the Economic Survey.The Supreme Court, in a Public Interest Litigation hearing (April 2025), directed the government to amend the 2022 Draft Regulation within three months, stating food packets “have no information” and raised concern about products like Kurkure and Maggi.–IANSrvt/na
Patna, June 3 (IANS) The Bihar government has taken major disciplinary action in the case of the Muzaffarpur minor Dalit girl’s sexual assault, whose tragic death has triggered widespread outrage across the state.
Under pressure from the opposition and amid a scathing public backlash, the Health Department has relieved Dr. Abhijit Singh, Deputy Superintendent-in-Charge of Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), of his duties and suspended Dr. Kumari Vibha, Superintendent of Shri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH), Muzaffarpur.In its official order, the Health Department cited gross negligence and administrative failure as reasons for both actions.Dr. Abhijit Singh was found to have failed in discharging his administrative responsibilities at PMCH.The department noted prima facie evidence indicating that his failure directly affected the handling of the victim’s treatment upon her arrival at the hospital.Dr. Kumari Vibha, on the other hand, was held accountable for violating the referral policy and displaying extreme insensitivity during the victim’s treatment at SKMCH.The department stated that she failed to comply with duty norms, leading to severe lapses in medical care.As a result, Dr. Singh has been removed from his post with immediate effect, and Dr. Vibha has been suspended under Rule 9 of the Bihar Government Servant (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 2005.Her headquarters during the suspension will be the Health Department office in Patna.A charge sheet will be prepared against her based on the findings of the ongoing investigation.The victim, a minor Dalit girl from Muzaffarpur, was sexually assaulted and later transferred to PMCH, Patna, for advanced treatment.However, upon arrival, she was allegedly kept in an ambulance for nearly four hours due to a lack of timely medical response, which ultimately led to her death.The incident not only highlighted the failings of Bihar’s healthcare system but also reignited debates around the state of law and order and caste-based violence.The opposition parties, including the RJD, Congress, and Jan Suraaj, had accused the Nitish Kumar-led government of both lawlessness and administrative negligence, demanding the resignation of Health Minister Mangal Pandey.The incident and its mishandling became a rallying point for critics of the government, further amplified by protests and statements calling for systemic reforms.–IANSajk/dan
New Delhi, June 3 (IANS) Amid fresh surge in Covid-19 cases, a team of US researchers has developed a new type of mRNA vaccine that is more scalable and adaptable to tackle continuously evolving viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 and H5N1.While the currently available mRNA vaccines are highly effective at inducing an immune response against Covid, they present challenges like the high amount of mRNA needed to produce them and the constantly evolving nature of the pathogen.”The virus changes, moving the goal post, and updating the vaccine takes some time,” said senior author Suresh Kuchipudi, chair of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health.To address these challenges, the researchers created a proof-of-concept Covid vaccine using what’s known as a “trans-amplifying” mRNA platform.In this approach, the mRNA is separated into two fragments — the antigen sequence and the replicase sequence — the latter of which can be produced in advance, saving crucial time in the event a new vaccine must be developed urgently and produced at scale.In addition, the researchers analysed the spike-protein sequences of all known variants of the SARS-CoV-2 for commonalities, rendering what’s known as a “consensus spike protein” as the basis for the vaccine’s antigen.In mice, the vaccine induced a robust immune response against many strains of SARS-CoV-2.”This has the potential for more lasting immunity that would not require updating, because the vaccine has the potential to provide broad protection,” said Kuchipudi.”Additionally, this format requires an mRNA dose 40 times less than conventional vaccines, so this new approach significantly reduces the overall cost of the vaccine.”The study, published in the journal npj Vaccines could inform more efficient vaccine development for other constantly evolving RNA viruses with pandemic potential, Kuchipudi said.”We hope to apply the principles of this lower-cost, broad-protection antigen design to pressing challenges like bird flu.”–IANSrvt/
Mumbai, June 3 (IANS) The stock of healthcare company Sagility India Limited has declined by 31.76 per cent from its 52-week high of Rs 56.40, with the current trading price at Rs 38.49 on the National Stock Exchange (NSE).The stock of the company, a leading global provider of technology-led business solutions and services to clients in the healthcare industry, further slipped 1.16 per cent or Rs 0.45 on Tuesday during the intra-day trading session.Over the past few days, the stock has shown a mixed performance. It is down 2.01 per cent in the last five trading sessions and has dropped 6.58 per cent over the past one month.On a year-to-date (YTD) basis, Sagility shares have fallen 19.68 per cent. However, over a six-month period, the stock has gained 7.97 per cent.Investor sentiment appears to have been impacted by the promoter’s decision to reduce its stake. On May 27, shares of Sagility India hit the 5 per cent lower circuit, falling to Rs 40.70, the lowest level since May 9, after the company announced an offer for sale (OFS).The OFS is part of a move by its promoter, Sagility B.V., to meet the minimum public shareholding requirement.Sagility B.V. offloaded up to 15.02 per cent of its stake in the company through an Offer for Sale (OFS) conducted on May 27 and May 28.The base offer included 34.61 crore equity shares, accounting for 7.39 per cent of the company’s paid-up capital.An additional 35.69 crore shares (7.62 per cent) were also offered under the oversubscription option, bringing the total possible sale to 70.3 crore shares.As of the March 2025 quarter, the promoter held approximately 82.39 per cent stake in the company. The share sale, while aimed at regulatory compliance, has led to investor caution, contributing to the recent slide in stock price.Sagility India is a healthcare solutions provider that primarily serves US-based payers, such as health insurance companies, and healthcare providers, including hospitals and physicians.The company offers a broad range of services, including core benefits administration, clinical support, revenue cycle management, and claims processing for payers.–IANS pk/na
Mumbai, June 3 (IANS) Dental tech startup Toothsi, which promises convenient and affordable clear aligners for teeth straightening, is now facing growing criticism from its users over alleged mismanagement, misleading practices, and poor after-sales service.Several users have taken to social media platform X and consumer forums to share their negative experiences, raising serious concerns about the company’s operations.One user, Geet Dhir, who identifies as an advocate, expressed his frustration publicly, saying: “Even just keeping this in my mind I am waiting for your positive reply at the earliest because I am just about to finish the last received 8th aligners. Send new aligner at the earliest to me. I insist as well request”.His message suggests he has been left waiting without the next set of aligners, despite already completing the previous batch.However, the company responded, assuring him that their team would get in touch with him shortly.Another user, Shivendra Soni, was even more blunt, calling the company a scam. “Toothsi app and Toothsi is a scam. Ap log kuch ho aur krte kuch ho. Mere paise pure barbaad huye,” he wrote, accusing the company’s staff and doctors of giving customers the runaround instead of delivering on promises.Their complaints are not isolated. According to a report by The Ken, dozens of users have had similar issues with Toothsi. One such case is that of Priya, a marketing executive from Mumbai.She was thrilled to try Toothsi’s service for Rs 50,000. However, before she could even mail in her dental impressions, she received a call from the company saying they had already been rejected.She was then asked to pay an additional Rs 11,000 for a 3D scan at one of their centres. “They rejected impressions I hadn’t even sent,” she said, adding that the excuse of a “pre-assessment” felt like a tactic to push her into paying more.According to a Voxya report, another user, Fahima N, filed a complaint on March 18, detailing her troubling experience. She said that while she was promised a fully remote procedure after a video consultation, the company later asked her to travel hours away for treatment.She was also told she needed a tooth extraction, but local dentists refused to follow Toothsi’s prescription, calling it unsafe.Despite all this, she received her aligners before the extraction was even approved or done, raising doubts about the customisation.When she asked for a cancellation, she was told she would still be charged as the loan had already been processed.MakeO, the parent company of Toothsi and its skincare branch Skinnsi, had raised significant funding in January 2025 at a valuation of Rs 2,231 crore ($270 million).But now, reports suggest that the company is seeking funds at nearly half that valuation, possibly due to these ongoing customer complaints and operational issues.–IANSpk/vd
Bhopal, June 3 (IANS) A mysterious creature launched a sudden and ferocious attack upon eighteen villagers of Limbai, a tribal…
New Delhi, June 3 (IANS) The practice of feeding pigeons on footpaths, pavements, and traffic islands in Delhi has come under the scanner of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).The green tribunal has issued notices to Delhi government, its Public Works Division (PWD) department, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) after an application was filed before the NGT raising the issue of the adverse effect of dried pigeons droppings mix with the dust.The applicant, law student Armaan Palliwal, claimed that such droppings cause serious lung diseases such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis, which causes lung scarring and breathing difficulties.The application said that feeding and proliferation of pigeons leads to pigeons dropping in the footpath, pavements and traffic islands, and when these feeding areas are broomed, then the toxic particulates of dried droppings mix with the dust, pollute the environment and cause adverse health effects.In its order passed on May 29, a bench of Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Dr. A. Senthil Vel opined that the application filed before the NGT raised “substantial issue” relating to compliance with environmental norms.”Issue notice to the respondents (authorities) for filing their response/reply by way of affidavit before the Tribunal at least one week before the next date of hearing through e-filing,” ordered the NGT, posting the matter for hearing on August 8.It added that if any respondent-authority directly files the reply without routing it through their advocate, then the said authority will remain virtually present to assist the green tribunal. “Applicant is directed to serve the other respondents and file an affidavit of service at least one week before the next date of hearing,” it further ordered.Under the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010, the green tribunal is responsible for handling cases related to environmental protection and the conservation of forests and natural resources.–IANSpds/vd
Manila, June 3 (IANS) The Philippines’ Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday recommended declaring human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) a national public health emergency amid the 500 per cent surge in cases among the country’s youth.In a video message on Tuesday, DOH Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said the significant increase was recorded among individuals aged 15 to 25 years.The DOH reported that the number of confirmed HIV cases daily reached 57 from January to March this year, with the highest in the Western Pacific region.According to DOH data, newly diagnosed HIV cases have more than doubled over the past 10 years, from just 21 daily cases in 2014 to 48 in 2024.”There were 56 cases per day from January to April 2025, 44 per cent higher than the same period last year,” the DOH said.In the Philippines, diagnosed HIV patients are getting younger. Data showed that the predominant age group of confirmed cases was between 25 and 34 years old since 2006, Xinhua news agency reported.Sexual contact remains the predominant mode of transmission, but has shifted to largely being among males having sex with males since 2007, the data further showed.According to the World Health Organisation, HIV is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) occurs at the most advanced stage of infection.HIV targets the body’s white blood cells, weakening the immune system. This makes it easier to get sick with diseases like tuberculosis, infections, and some cancers.HIV is spread from the body fluids of an infected person, including blood, breast milk, semen and vaginal fluids. It is not spread by kisses, hugs, or sharing food. It can also spread from a mother to her baby.HIV can be prevented and treated with antiretroviral therapy (ART). Untreated HIV can progress to AIDS, often after many years.WHO now defines Advanced HIV Disease (AHD) as a CD4 cell count less than 200 cells/cubic mm or WHO stage 3 or 4 in adults and adolescents. All children younger than 5 years of age living with HIV are considered to have advanced HIV disease.–IANSint/jk/vd
New Delhi, June 3 (IANS) Vaccination may play a significant role in preventing hearing loss in children and adolescents, according to a study that identified 26 infectious pathogens that can potentially cause hearing loss.Over 1.5 billion people worldwide are affected by some degree of hearing loss. While it is often linked to ageing, a lesser known but significant cause is infections contracted during childhood and adolescence, many of which are preventable.According to the World Health Organization, nearly 60 per cent of childhood hearing loss could be prevented through public health measures such as vaccination against rubella and certain forms of meningitis.To probe further, a team of researchers, including from Université de Montréal in Canada conducted an in-depth review of the scientific literature.The study, published in the journal Communications Medicine, identified 26 infectious agents that can potentially cause hearing loss, including the virus responsible for common diseases such as measles as well as rubella, which is especially dangerous if contracted during pregnancy because it can harm the developing auditory system and cause congenital deafness.The list also includes the virus that causes mumps, which can lead to sensorineural hearing loss by damaging the inner ear or auditory nerve, and the bacteria Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis, which cause meningitis and result in permanent hearing damage.”If a vaccine is shown to save lives, it’s reasonable for policy decisions to be made on that basis,” said Mira Johri, a professor in the Department of Health Management, Evaluation and Policy at the varsity’s School of Public Health (EPSUM).”But vaccines can also offer significant benefits in preventing other harms, such as hearing loss, and these benefits deserve greater attention.”The study recommends including the effect of hearing loss in vaccine evaluations, both during development and for products already on the market. This factor could also help inform research priorities for new vaccine formulations.–IANSrvt/